'Whatever Nils Økland touches turns to musical gold.' These are the words of Fiona Talkington from BBC Radio 3.
Organist Sigbjørn Apeland works in the crossroads of folk music, church music and improvisation. His first solo album Glossolalia was released this year and was described as a “bold and challenging album with improvisational music for harmonium”.
Both Sigbjørn Apeland and Nils Økland were previously musical directors of the Ole Bull Academy. In 2010 the two musicians joined forces to make the album Lysøen – hommage à Ole Bull (2011), where they commemorate the fabulous work of Norwegian composer and violinist Ole Bull.
The album partly presents the performers’ own arrangements and improvisations based on tunes that Bull performed, and partly new compositions inspired by Ole Bull. It just got a five star review in the latest edition of Songlines, where the conclusion simply read: 'Albums don't come more exquisite than this.'
At Folkelarm, this eminent duo will do one joint concert, and in addition Økland will do a solo concert based on the material from his latest solo album Monograph.
Nils Økland| harding fiddle
Sigbjørn Aåeland | harmonium
You can find out more about this ground breaking duo by visiting this page run by ECM. In order to read more about Folkelarm 2011, we suggest that you go to this page. This year's event will be held at Riksscenen in Oslo, from the 29th of September to the 1st of October.